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To find who is hosting a website, look up the hostname’s current DNS records, then check the returned IP address in RDAP. This identifies the IP network’s registered organization—not necessarily the company hosting the site’s origin. A CDN or reverse proxy may be the public-facing endpoint instead.
What the different lookups can tell you
“Who hosts this site?” can refer to several different roles. A domain registrar handles domain registration; a DNS provider publishes DNS records; a CDN or reverse proxy may receive visitors’ requests; an IP network operator is associated with the public address; and a web host runs the website’s origin. One company can perform more than one role, but the roles are not interchangeable.
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| Lookup | What it identifies | What it does not establish by itself |
|---|---|---|
| DNS resolution | The IP address or hostname a domain currently resolves to. DNS maps names to network destinations. Cloudflare’s DNS records overview explains common record types. | The commercial web host or the physical location of the origin server. |
| IP RDAP | Registration information associated with the IP network, such as its organization or network name. The protocol supports IP address queries. RFC 9082 | Proof that the registered network organization operates the website’s origin. |
| Domain RDAP | Domain registration information, including registrar-related data where available. For generic top-level domains, ICANN says RDAP replaced WHOIS as the definitive registration-data source on 28 January 2025. ICANN’s announcement | The DNS operator, CDN, IP network operator, or web host unless the record independently supports that conclusion. |
How to find the site’s current public IP
- Choose the exact hostname. Check the root domain and
wwwseparately if both are relevant. A subdomain can resolve differently from the main domain. - Resolve its DNS records. Check A records for IPv4 and AAAA records for IPv6, and follow any CNAME chain to its destination. DNS results show the hostname’s current public resolution, which can change over time. Cloudflare’s DNS records overview
- Look up each returned IP in IP RDAP. Note the registered network name or organization. Describe it as the network associated with that address, not automatically as the website’s retail hosting provider. RFC 9082
- Check domain registration separately if needed. Domain RDAP can answer registration questions; it is not a substitute for resolving the hostname or checking its IP. ICANN’s gTLD transition to RDAP took effect on 28 January 2025. ICANN’s announcement
- Report the role the evidence supports. If you only have DNS and IP registration results, say which IP the hostname resolved to and which organization the IP is registered to. Don’t turn that into an unsupported claim about the origin host.
Why the IP may belong to a CDN or proxy
A reverse proxy sits between site visitors and the origin server. When a DNS record is proxied through Cloudflare, DNS returns a Cloudflare anycast IP rather than the origin address. In that case, the lookup reveals the public-facing proxy endpoint. Cloudflare’s proxy-status documentation
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The result depends on configuration. Cloudflare documents that DNS-only records expose the configured origin IP; records in a new zone that is still pending activation remain DNS-only and can return the origin address. These are Cloudflare-specific behaviors, not a general guarantee that a site’s origin can be found. Proxy status and zone status documentation
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TP-Link AX1800 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX21 V5) | Dual Band Wireless Internet, Gigabit, Easy Mesh, Works with Alexa - A Certified for Humans Device
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If the public IP belongs to a proxy or CDN, ordinary DNS and RDAP lookups may not identify the origin host. Don’t treat the proxy’s network registration as evidence that it hosts the website’s underlying server.
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TP-Link AC1200 Gigabit Dual Band WiFi Router (Archer A6) | MU-MIMO Wireless Internet Router, 4 x Antennas, OneMesh and AP Mode, Long Range Coverage
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TP-Link Dual-Band BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Router, Archer BE230 | 4-Stream | 2×2.5G + 3×1G Ports, USB 3.0, 2.0 GHz Quad Core, 4 Antennas | VPN, EasyMesh, HomeShield, MLO, Private IOT
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TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Router Dual Band Wireless Internet Router (Archer A54) | 4 x 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet Ports, EasyMesh Compatible, Support Guest WiFi, Access Point Mode, IPv6 & Parental Controls
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- Advanced Security with WPA3 - The latest Wi-Fi security protocol, WPA3, brings new capabilities to improve cybersecurity in personal networks
How to state your result accurately
- DNS result: “The hostname currently resolves to [IP address].” Include when you checked, because DNS answers can change.
- IP registration result: “The IP address is registered to [network organization].” This describes network registration, not necessarily web hosting.
- Proxy evidence: “The site is fronted by [proxy or CDN]” only when the DNS or provider documentation supports that conclusion.
- Hosting conclusion: Name a web host only when evidence actually identifies it as the origin hosting provider; a registrar, DNS operator, CDN, or IP network alone is not enough.
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